Bo Bichette emerged as a potential Red Sox trade target after ESPN‘s Buster Olney reported that Boston is aggressively searching for a right-handed hitter and may be willing to absorb a “bad contract” to get one.
That description quickly put Bichette in the spotlight, with analysts identifying the Mets third baseman and his $126 million contract as a possible match for Boston’s search for right-handed power.
Olney’s Red Sox Comments Put Bichette in Play
Olney made the remarks on the Just Baseball Show on June 3.
“What I’ve heard today is, they’re aggressively looking for a right-handed hitter. It might be a case where the Red Sox are willing to take on a bad contract,” Olney added, according to Just Baseball.
Olney’s remarks opened the door to Bichette’s name almost immediately. Baseball analyst Robbie Hyde of Foul Territory listed him among a handful of right-handed hitters on struggling teams who could draw Boston’s interest, noting that Bichette’s underlying metrics remain respectable despite a rough surface line, according to Hyde’s post on Wednesday.
Analyst Pat Brown of the Red Sox Play Tessie podcast went further, placing Bichette on a list of players whose full contracts would qualify as “bad” by most front-office standards. That’s the precise profile Olney described Boston as willing to take on.
Bichette’s deal, according to Spotrac, pays him $42 million per season on average, along with a $40 million signing bonus, and includes a full no-trade clause along with player opt-outs after both the 2026 and 2027 seasons. He counts $15.3 million against New York’s payroll this year and $55.3 million in each of the two seasons that follow.
Bichette’s 2026 Season Has Been a Struggle
The numbers driving the trade talk are not subtle. Through 61 games, Bichette is hitting .213 with five home runs, a .299 slugging percentage, and 44 strikeouts. His 66 wRC+ ranks 154th out of 160 qualified hitters in MLB, according to FanSided‘s Zachary Rotman.
He entered Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners riding an 0-for-16 skid. He responded with a 4-for-4 afternoon that included a run scored and two RBI. It was the kind of flash that has defined his New York tenure â enough to remind observers what he can do, but not enough to quiet the questions.
The contrast with his final Toronto season is stark. Bichette posted a .311/.357/.483 slash line for the Blue Jays in 2025, drove in 94 runs, and collected 181 hits â four shy of leading all of MLB â before a knee injury cut short his regular season, according to MLB.com.
That performance was the basis for the three-year deal the Mets handed him. The transition from shortstop to third base in New York has not simplified his adjustment.
The no-trade clause complicates any deal. Bichette would need to waive his no-trade clause to move to the Red Sox, and with two opt-out windows still ahead of him, his incentive to do so depends entirely on whether he believes a change of scenery improves his market position more than riding out his contract in Queens would.
For the Red Sox, the fit is conceptually clean. They need a right-handed bat, and Bichette’s career track record suggests the current numbers may not reflect his ceiling. Whether Boston’s front office decides the price is right is a question that may be answered sooner rather than later.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Bo Bichette Named $126 Million Red Sox Trade Target After Buster Olney Report appeared first on HEAVY.